Valve-gear for explosive and internal-combustion engines.



No. 888,037. PATENTED MAY 19, 1908. F. M. RITES.

VALVE GEAR FOR EXPLOSIVE AND INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

- APPLICATION FILED MAY 8, 1905.

WITNESSESI- I lNl/EIV-TUR I V l q.

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FRANCIS M. RITES, OF ITHAOA, NEW YORK.

VALVE-GEAR FOR EXPLOSIVE AND INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANoIs M. RITEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ithaca, in the county of Tompkins and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in V alve-Gear for EX- plosive and Internal-Combustion Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic regulating devices for internal combustion engines, and involves a modification of the invention set forth in U. S. Letters Patent No. 741,796, dated October 20, 1903, and in my application for Letters Patent filed January 28, 1904, Sr. No. 188,170.

The valve gear herein described is particularly adapted for operating valves of the poppet type which normally are held closed by a suitable spring or equivalent device, and my improved valve gear is arranged to open such valves positively, and likewise to effect regulation of the speed of the engine by varying the point of valve closure or out off.

The improved valve gear herein described embodies means for tripping the valve-operating device at a predetermined point in the stroke, permitting the valve to close independently of the action of the valve gear.

The objects of my invention are, to improve the valve gear and governing mechanism of explosion or internal conbustion en-' gines of the class described, to open positively poppet or other valves which normally are held closed by springs or equivalent means, to regulate the speed of the engine by varying the point of valve closure, to permit the .point of valve closure to be determined, even in large engines, by a delicate governor, to permit the valve to close independently of the valve gear, and to make the valve gear as simple, compact and effective as possible.

I will now proceed to describe my invention with reference to the accom anying drawings, in which one form. of va ve gear embodying my invention applied to a fourcycle engine is illustrated, and will then point out the novel features in claims.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 8, 1905.

Patented May 19, 1908.

Serial No. 259,259.

In the said drawings Figure 1 shows an elevation and partial section of a vertica' engine fitted with my improved valve and regulating mechanism; Fig. 2 is a detail side View of a portion of this mechanism, show-- combined base'and crank chamber 2, a crank shaft 3, and a valve chamber 4 at the upper end of the cylinder 1. The cylinder may have the usual piston and piston rod for driving the crank shaft.

Upon the crank shaft 3, there is a flywheel 5, carrying a fly-wheel governor 6 of the shifting eccentric type, the pin eccentric 7 of which is arranged to be swung across the end of the crank shaft 3, by motion of the governor weight.

Upon the crank shaft 3, there is apinion 8, intermeshing with a gear 9, carrying a crank pin 10. The ratio of gears 8 and 9 in a four-cycle engine of the usual type is two to one, gear 9 revolving at one-half the speed of gear 8.

The admission valve 11 shown, is of the poppet type, its valve stem 12 working within suitable bearings, and being surrounded by a spring 13, tending to hold the valve closed. This valve is opened positively at suitable times, and permitted to close automatically, by tripping valve-operating mechanism particularly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. This mechanism comprises an arm 14 pivoted to some suitable stationary portion of the engine, connected by a rod 15 to the crank pin 10 of gear 9. The outer end of this arm 14 carries a hook 16, adapted to engage the end of the valve stem 12. This hook 16 is pivoted to 14, and is provided with a camshaped portion 17. A trip cam 18 having the form of a bell crank lever, is also pivoted on 14, and at times engages the cam portion 17 of hook 16. This trip cam 18 is connected by eccentric rod 19 to the governor eccentrio 7. A spring 20 tends to hold the hook in engagement with the end of the valve stem.

The operation of this valve gear is as follows: Since arm 14 is caused to reciprocate by a crank driven at one-half the speed of v the engine,

to open the valve 11 only at the beginning of each admission stroke of the engine. cam 18 is vibrated by the governor eccentric, and at a variable point in the admission stroke, dependent upon the position of the eccentric as determined by the governor, the cam 18 presses on the hook 16 in such manner as to trip the same, releasing the valve 11, and permitting the latter to close. These operations are repeated during each admission stroke, the valve being tripped automatically in such stroke at the point predetermined by the adjustment of the governor.

Governor eccentric 7 and crank pin 10 constitute valve actuating devices driven at different speeds, for operating and controlling the operation of the valve gear.

It will be seen that by this mechanism the valve is opened positively, and that regulation is caused by varying the point of cutoff; and that the mechanism of the valve gear is very simple and direct acting, and contains very few joints. Furthermore, the work required of the governor is very slight, being merely that required to trip the hook 16. This valve gear is, therefore, particularly suitable for large engines, since it permits an engine of practically any size to be governed by a small, compact and relatively inexpensive governor.

In my aforesaid application, Sr. No. 188,170, I have claimed, in a valve gear, two valve actuating devices driven at different speeds, and valve operating means operated thereby, comprising a reciprocating member having a fixed support, which member is con nected to the slower moving of the actuat ing devices, and another member mounted upon such reciprocating member, connected to the other of said actuating devices, and arranged to be reciprocated thereby. Therefore, such invention is not claimed herein.

In the use of poppet admission valves in internal combustion engines, it is usually preferred to have such valves closed by action of a spring, and to have such spring act at all times to hold the valve closed, eXcept during the admission period; and it is also usually preferred to have said valve opened positively by the valve gear for admission. The valve gear above described fulfils all these requirements.

It is obvious that my invention is susceptible of many modifications and variations in form, construction, and arrangement of the parts without departing from the basic principle thereof.

I do not limit myself to the particular details of construction and arrangement illustrated and described, nor to the particular type of valve shown nor to the specific construction of tripping mechanism illustrated and described.

While in the drawings I have shown a The the hook 16 engages the stem 12 l spring 1 l i l i for holding the valve closed, and I have referred to-such spring in the claims, it is obvious that other valve closing devices, equivalent. to the spring, such for example as Weights or vacuum pots, may be substituted for the spring, and such substitution I regard as within the invention and the claims.

The fly-wheel governor illustrated is of a type in common use, heretofore invented and patented by me, and comprises the single weight 6, pivoted at 21 to the fly-wheel, and having combined centrifugal and inertia action. To the weight and to the fly-wheel are connected opposite ends of the governor spring, 22. With increase of rotative speed, this weight tends to swing outward against the pull of spring 22, and so to move eccentrio 7 nearer the center of rotation, thereby causing hook 16 to trip and release the valve stem 12 earlier in the stroke.

What I claim is:-

1. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with an engine cylinder and an automatically closed valve therefor, of valve gear comprising 'a valve operating arm, means for reciprocating the same, a catch carried thereby for engaging said valve, a tripping cam mounted on said arm, and means for automatically operating said cam to trip said catch.

2. In an internal combustion engine, the combination With an engine cylinder and an automatically closed valve therefor, of valve gear comprising a valve operating arm, means for reciprocating the same, a catch carried thereby for engaging said valve, a tripping cam mounted on said arm, an automatic speed governor, and means operated thereby for operating said catch.

3. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with an engine cylinder and an automatically closed valve therefor, of valve gear comprising a valve operating arm, means for reciprocating the same, a catch carried thereby for engaging said valve, a tripping cam mounted on said arm, a shifting eccentric governor, and means connecting the eccentric thereof to .said cam.

4. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with an engine cylinder and an automatically closed valve therefor, of valve gear comprising a valve actuating arm, means for reciprocating the same, a hook carried thereby and adapted to engage the valve, a tripping cam therefor mounted eccentrically on said arm and arranged to engage said hook to operate the same, and means for vibrating said cam.

5. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with an engine cylinder and an automatically closed valve therefor, of valve gear comprising a valve actuating arm, means for reciprocating the same, a hook carried thereby and adapted to engage the valve, a tripping cam therefor mounted eccentrically on said arm and arranged to engage said hook to operate the same, an automatic speed governor, and means operated thereby for vibrating said cam.

6. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with an engine cylinder and an automatically closed valve therefor, of valve gear comprising two valve actuating devices driven at different speeds, means operated by one of them for opening said valve the other of said actuating devices being an eccentric, and automatic tripping means operated by said eccentric for releasing the valve.

7. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with an engine cylinder and an automatically closed valve therefor, of valve gear comprising two valve actuating devices driven at different speeds, means operated by one of them for opening said valve the other of said actuating devices being a shifting eccentric, automatic tripping means operated by said eccentric for releasing the valve, and automatic means foradjusting said eccentric.

8. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with an engine cylinder, and an automatically closed valve therefor, of valve gear comprising two valve actuating devices driven at different speeds, means operated by the slower of said devices for opening said valve, the other of said actuating devices being an eccentric, and automatic tripping means operated by said eccentric for releasing the valve.

9. In an internal. combustion engine, the combination with an engine cylinder, and an automatically closed valve therefor, of valve gear comprising two valve actuating devices driven at different speeds, means operated by the slower of said devices for opening said valve, automatic tripping means operated by the faster of said valve actuating devices for releasing the valve, and an automatic speed governor controlling the action of said tripping means.

10. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with an engine cylinder and an automatically closed valve therefor, of valve gear comprising a valve operating member adapted to open said valve, tripping means for releasing the valve, two valve actuating devices driven at different speeds, one operating said valve operating member, the other operating said tripping means, and a fly wheel governor adjusting the action of said last mentioned valve actuating device.

11. In an internal combustion engine, the

combination with an engine cylinder and an automatically closed valve therefor, of valve gear comprising a valve operating member adapted to open said valve, tripping means for releasing the valve, two valve actuating devices driven at different speeds, the slower moving operating said valve operating mem ber, the other operating said tripping means, and a fly wheel governor adjusting the action of the said faster valve actuating device.

12. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with an engine cylinder, and an automatically closed valve therefor, of valve gear comprising two valve actuating devices driven at different speeds, a valve operating arm driven by one of said actuating devices, a catch carried thereby for engaging said valve, and a tripping cam carried by said arm and o erated by the other actuating device, for re easing said valve.

13. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with an engine cylinder, and an automatically closed valve therefor, of valve gear comprising two valve actuating devices driven at different speeds, a valve operating arm driven by the slower of said devices, a catch carried thereby for engaging said valve, and a tripping cam carried by said arm and o erated by the other-actuating device, for refeasing said valve.

14. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with an engine cylinder, and an automatically closed valve therefor, of valve gear comprising two valve actuating devices driven at different "speeds, a valve operating arm driven by the slower of said devices, a catch carried thereby for engaging said valve, a tripping cam carried by said arm and operated by the other actuating device, for releasing said valve, and an automatic governor controlling the action of said last named actuating device.

15. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with an engine cylinder and an automatically closed valve therefor, of valve gear comprising a governor, reducing gearing driven from the crank shaft, a valve operating arm vibrated thereby, a catch carried by said arm and arranged to engage said valve, and a tripping cam' for said catch, carried by said arm and controlled by said governor.

16. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with an engine cylinder, of valve gear comprising a shifting eccentric governor driven at the speed of the crank shaft, reducing gearing driven from the crank shaft, a valve operating arm vibrated thereby, a catch carried by said arm and arranged to engage said valve, and tripping means for said catch, controlled by said shifting eccentric governor.

17. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with an engine cylinder, and an automatically closed valve therefor, of valve gear comprising tripping mechanism, a valve operating device moving at half the speed of the engine, and an automatic speed governor comprising a revoluble adjustable member moving at the speed of the engine and arranged to operate said tripping mechanism and automatic means for adjusting driven at the speed of the engine and'arsaid member. ranged to operate said tripping means. 10

18. In an internal combustion engine, the In testimony whereof I affiX my signature, combination with an engine cylinder, and in the presence of two witnesses.

5 -valve gear therefor comprising reducing gearl FRANCIS M. RITES.

Witnesses:

RANDOLPH HORTON, E. M. CONOVER.

ing driven by the engine, of means operated thereby for opening a valve comprising tripping means, and a shiftlng eccentric governor 

